Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-07-01
4 FIGHT WITH PIRATES.

Albeit | have read a hundred books Of
adventure i'm which the sea and sailor fig
ured literally, ! am never tired of hearing
those men who go down TO sea in ships
speak of their pcrils and strange advcn-
lures. \ bronzcd old Jack Tar, who was
anchored alongside of me for a couple of
hours The other day, and who answered to
the name of John Scott cave me the fol-
lowing thrilling incident. which believe
TO be true in every detail:
1T was in the spring Of 1872" said
Scott as he made ready, THAT | ran away
from the American bark Twin Sisters at
Hong Kong, being thoroughly Disguised
with the tyranny and cruelty Of the cap
tain and mate. Thorc was a Frenchman
there who kept a sort of hiding place for
ruuaways, and, although we were pretty
sharply looked after for few days. we
were not discovered and the bark went on
up the coast. We knocked about for
few days without turning up anything,
and then | shipped aboard a small brig
which traded between Hong Kong and the
Philippine Islands to the cast She was
called the Explorer, and her cap
tain and Part owner was an English
man named Garuscy. The mate was
also an Englishman, and OF the six men Of
us before the mast, two were Americans.
one a LaScar, one a negro. and the other
two were NorwegiauS We were all runa-
ways and glad enough TO get job. and
when we found captain and mate pretty
good fellows, and the brig light and well
found, we turned 20 with viii and show
cd full measure of gratitude The cargo.
Is / remember II, was made up of a little
Of everything To- general trading. The
brig lad made three or four voyages along
the west side of the islands. and this time,
as we left Hong Kong behind US We steer
ed 10 the east, that We might go down ON
that coast OF LuZon Islands, which is 10y
all Odds the largest of the hundred or
more islands dottiug the Pacific from OPP
poSitc Hong Kong. but 800 miles away
down to New Guinea and Bornco.
I'VE had the best of weather and fast
run while going 10 the eastward. nor did
we meet with q mishap of any sort until
working down the coast of LuZon. Then
the winds were light and battling for sew
Cral successive days, and We made bu:
slow progress TO repay us for our hard
work. The winds were still heading US
when the Captain was taken sick Some
sort Of fever seized him all Of sudden.
and it must have hal a stout hand 10 keep
him down, for hc wa, in the prime Of life
and a strong man. Ii was the third day
of his illness. and the mate had reported
him no better, when, az 3 o o'clock in the
afternoon, rs We wore about four miles off
the coast Of LuZon. and well toward It's
southern end, Junk put out from a bay
and sailed on a line TO intercept US. There
was no port there, and we were not flying
a trad.4g signal, and the mate had not
taken more than q glance az the Junk
through the glass when me exclaimed:
May be called a marincif that fellow
isn't up 10 mischief
II was acting as mate at The time, and
he handed me the glass and asked me 10
90 aloft and take Il good >quinl at the
junk. | hadn't the glass on him over a
minute before ! wa, satisfied that he was a
pirate. He had as many rs thirty men
aboard, and ! thought | could make out
two howit2crs on his deck. lie had no
signal or flag flying, rs would have been
the case had he wanted 20 speak or salute
Us. There was but little wind, and we
scarcely had steeragcway, and the junk
was also moving very slowly. Before de-
sccnding to the deck | looked around the
horizon, and down in the northeast |
noted Indications of a change OF weather.
My report on the junk was eagerly await
cd, and when | had finished il Mr.. Reyn-
Odds said:
Look YOU, Scot, that fellow is after
us, and if lac take, the brig none of us
will he spared VIII the men fightT
"'Why, sir, what have we to fight
within
'Mu,kets-a dozen Of 'cm-and plenty
OF ammunition. Here, men, come aft
1T needed only few words Of cXPlana-
ton, for the men lad made up their minds
what sort of q customer was creeping up
on our starboard bow The muskcts were
brought up and with them five or six old
cuilaSScs covered with rust, without the
Captain being the wiser for it. Indeed.
hc was out of his head and could not have
been made 20 understand the situation,
anyhow. When We had made such prep
araiions as we could the junk had crept up
TO within tbrcc-quartcrs of q mile of us,
and the mate called Us around him and
said:
"'Now wen. we all know what that fell
low is after; if he gets possession of the
brig not one Of Us will be spared. We are
few in numbers, but il we make a stout
fight perhaps we can drive him off. At
least We might as well die lighting rs TO
surrender and have our throats cut after
wards
"IIc then went down and locked the
door Of the Captain slacroom, so that he
could not Get ont when the row began
and as he returned on deck 1t was plain
that the junk meant 10 lay us aboard
without stopping 10 use her cannon.
Whether she argued that we were weak.
handed and could hc easily finished off, or
HAT the sound of Der put~ might bring US
1T Is one OF Ella Wheeler. Wilcoxl
vhims 90 wear nothing but white in.
doors Usually IL is some sort Of whit,
satin Kate Grccnaway robe, high neckeC
anu long slceycd la the morning, shor
sleeves and square neck Vt night.